Phone:
317–846–6601 Fax: 317–575–4244
Website: www.ihsaa.org
Blake Ress, Commissioner
________________________________________________________________________________
MEDIA
INFORMATION
August 6, 2007
Contact: Chris Kaufman, Communications Director
E–Mail: ckaufman@ihsaa.org
LUCAS OIL STADIUM TO HOST 2009 GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE FINALS
Commissioner Blake Ress announced
today that Lucas Oil Stadium will serve as host site of the 2009 IHSAA Girls
Basketball State Finals.
The commissioner’s
recommendation was approved today during the IHSAA Executive Committee’s
first meeting of the 2007-08 school year. The one-year agreement calls for the
four state championship games to be played at the Indianapolis venue on
Saturday, March 7, 2009.
"Being
the capitol city and centrally located in the state makes Indianapolis the
ideal location for state championships in general and we appreciate the
efforts made by Lucas Oil Stadium and the City of Indianapolis
to keep the girls basketball state championships in Indianapolis,” Ress
said.
The new home of the Indianapolis
Colts is scheduled to open for the 2008 NFL season and also can be reconfigured
for basketball games. It will host the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Div. I Men’s
Basketball Tournament three weeks later.
“We’re very excited that
the IHSAA girls basketball state finals will be played in Lucas Oil Stadium,”
said Mike Fox, Stadium Director for both the RCA Dome and Lucas Oil Stadium. “We
look forward to working with the IHSAA to find the very best configuration that
benefits everyone involved in this event.”
Conseco Fieldhouse, the site of the girls
basketball state finals since 2001, is hosting the Big Ten Women’s
Basketball Tournament that weekend and was unavailable.
In addition to Lucas Oil Stadium,
bids to host the state finals were received from Ball State University, Indiana
University, Purdue University and New Castle High School.
NEW MEMBER SCHOOL APPROVED
In other action, the
Executive Committee approved the membership application of Covenant Christian
High School in DeMotte.
Located in Jasper County in
northwestern Indiana, Covenant Christian’s
addition brings the Association membership total to 407 schools. Students at the
school will be able to compete in regular season events immediately but, by
IHSAA rule, won’t be eligible to participate in state tournament
competition for two years (2009-10).
IHSAA Membership Totals Since 1969-70
|
1969-70 |
444 |
1979-80 |
401 |
1989-90 |
391 |
1999-00 |
386 |
|
1970-71 |
438 |
1980-81 |
403 |
1990-91 |
389 |
2000-01 |
387 |
|
1971-72 |
428 |
1981-82 |
401 |
1991-92 |
389 |
2001-02 |
386 |
|
1972-73 |
423 |
1982-83 |
400 |
1992-93 |
389 |
2002-03 |
392 |
|
1973-74 |
424 |
1983-84 |
401 |
1993-94 |
388 |
2003-04 |
396 |
|
1974-75 |
419 |
1984-85 |
396 |
1994-95 |
388 |
2004-05 |
398 |
|
1975-76 |
410 |
1985-86 |
397 |
1995-96 |
385 |
2005-06 |
400 |
|
1976-77 |
407 |
1986-87 |
392 |
1996-97 |
385 |
2006-07 |
406 |
|
1977-78 |
405 |
1987-88 |
391 |
1997-98 |
384 |
2007-08 |
407 |
|
1978-79 |
399 |
1988-89 |
390 |
1998-99 |
386 |
|
|
NEW NFHS RULES PERMIT METAL CLEATS IN SOFTBALL FOR 2008
Members
of the Executive Committee also were brought up to date by Assistant
Commissioner Sandy Searcy on the new softball rule passed last month by the
National Federation of State High School Associations allowing players to use metal
cleats starting with the 2008 season.
For
the complete text of the July 9 NFHS news release, click here: NFHS
News Release
IHSAA
07-08/02